Desk having an extensible support for a typewriter



Sept. 30, 1947. M. Foxl y 2,428,211

DESK HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE SUPPORT FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed April 17, 1944 5 sheets-,sheet 1 Sept. 30, 1947. v M FOX 2,428,211

DESK HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE SUPPORT FOR/A TY'PEWRITER Filed April 17, 1944 5 Sheets-SheetZ Sept. 30, 1947. M FQX 2,428,211 A DESK iAVl/Imr AN EXTENSIBLE SUPPORT FOR A TYPEWRITER Filed April '17, 1944 :5 Sheets-sheet '5 Patented Sept. 3G, 1947 inns-K',HASvING` ANEXTENSIBLE .sprioirr Foie A TYPEWRITER Martin Fox, Chicago,`lll., assignontolheisen'g Company, a corporation of Illinois Application April 17, 1944, Serial No. 531,434

This invention relates to xtures for support# ing a typewriter 'in a Ydesk compartment so that it may be moved rapidly from a concealed posi-v tion to an extended operative position.

The primary object of the invention is to ,provide improved mechanism whereby a typewriter may be supported on a movable carriage in up# right position, and be moved rapidly to and from writing position.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred ernbodiment in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of the front of a desk compartment with the compartment door removed and the typewriter platform extended to operating position, the' dotted lines indicating the lower retracted position of the typewriter platform; Fig. 2, a plan view with the top of the desk removed, taken as indicated at line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line`3-3 of Fig'. 2; and Fig. 4, a fragmentary sectional View of .the manually operable locking device. p

In the embodiment illustrated, a desk 5 having a top 5 affords a typewriter compartment l, which has an open front and maybe provided with a door (not shown).

A pair of standards or mounting Vplates 8 are secured to the inner walls of the desk by means of screws .9'. A pair of side plates l0 are conriected by cross rods Il, .and to these plates are secured a pair of rearwardly extending channellike rails i2, which are connected at the rear end by a cross bar I3.

As best shown in Fig. 3', the upper front portion of the side plate Il) is pivotally connected at 'I4 with an upper pitman I5, which is pivotally connected to the standard at I6, and has an upwardly turned end l1 which is connected to a companion parallel pitman cross rod I8. The pitman I5 is offset outwardly to provide clearance for other parts of the mechanism. The lower central portion of the side plate ID makes a pivotal connection at i9 with a parallel lower pitman 2D which is pivoted to the standard 8, as indicated at 2l. The lower pitmans 20 are pro'- vided with studs 22, and springs 23 are` tensione'd between the stud and the cross rod i8. Thus it will be understood that lthe plates I and the'rails I2 may be movedbyparallel movement from the 7 Claims. (Cl. SI2- 28) upper extendedpositi-on hown 'in Fig. 3, -to the lower retracted Yposition'in-dir-zated by the dotted lines. is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, rollers 2s are journalle'd on the rails l2 to support the outer end of .the vtype'writer platform 255, when it is rolled back into "its lower retracted Dosi-tion,

The typewriter platform 2-5 maybe mese -ef wood, Yand has a pair of downward-ly extending metal vbrackets*Z6 on which are journalled rollers 21, which trave; Jiii ldie enamel-like rails i2. `As shownin Figs. 2 and-)3, theplatiorrn 25 has'a'pair of rearwardly extending arms on which are mounted' a pair of upwardlyl extending brackets 23 carrying'latching studs''. Each of the side plates l0 is provided with a latching arm l3@ which is pivotaiiy' mounted esiiidicateu atei* aria has a notch adapted to engage the stud 291 Studs Silapn the ,latching arms 1 30 extend outwardly through 'loigatd ,slots the" s'dje plates ,lil 'and are' connected t'o reside plates 'by 'tension springs 32 t Vllligptll'e. atclies' downwardly 'irriteYV engaging position. ."Ea'cli or 'tlielatches Sli is provided with a second outwardly keiaeneiiiig stirare, which engages the" lower yl'ai't'riia'n '2liI and releases the' piatforrii when vtnerails are lowered intothe positri ifid `te`dby` dttedflines" 'in Fig. 3.

The tvpewriteripiatform vis also provided with e ree-i weodeii cross barjsrtiiiough `which extends slia'ft 135 provided with' a 'finger' a'rm it. The .shaft `is` provided atjts inner end with an '311, wiiicnis wjeidie'citov ebook-like leien et which adapted tf lijgig' a' yStud '3S provided ori a plaie '4t which is secured-te the desk .by means `of ,screws M. ,A tension spring i2 urges the latch -into grippingposition. As shown in Figs..2 vand Y4, abracket 43, which is L-shapedin cross section, is secured to the platform 25 by screws 44. This ybracket presents a Socket 4'5 to receive .tnestud as, and .limits the upward travel of the typewriter platform. The shaft 35 eX- tends Athrough a .frontescutcheon plate d, Vand impales the `brac'liet 4,3, so that when lthe arm' 3S is thrown into latching position the rear of the typewriter fplatform is rigidly secured against vibration.

In order to hold .the ,rails I2 ,in low retracted position, against the' :action of springs 23, a pair of pivotedlatch members 48 are provided. These members are pivoted to the lower end of the Standards 3", 'as'indoated at 49, and are urged rearwardly against stops 50 by means of springs 5I. Each of the latches has a notch 52, opening rearwardly and adapted to snap over the rear cross rod I l. Each latch has an inwardly directed finger 53, and the tops of the members are beveled downwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 54, to form a cam like surface. Each of the downwardly extending metal brackets 2B has a projection `25a'. to engage the finger 53 of the latch 48.

The latches 48 are engaged and disengaged automatically by the typewriter platform mechanism in the following manner. When the operator desires to return the typewriter platform to its concealed position in the desk compartment, the arm 36 is raised and the platform pressed downwardly and rearwardly tothe position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. In this movement, the rear cross rod II vswings-the latch 48 forwardly, and at the same time the latch 35 is disengaged by the stud 33 coming in contact with the pitman 20. As the typewriter platform is rolled rearwardly on the track I2, the latch 48 engages the rear cross rod I I and holds the rails in their low retracted position. The typewriter platform may be rolled back to the rear of the compartment. n

When it is desired to move the typewriter platform into writing position, it is merely necessary to draw the platform forwardly, which will cause the projection 26a to strike the linger 53 and release the latch 48. As the platform is lifted upwardly, the latch 3c will lock the platform against movement on the rails I2, and when it reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, the stud 39 may be gripped by operation of the finger piece 36.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.`

I claim:

1. In a desk having an open-front typewriter compartment: a pair of channel-like rails secured together by cross rods to form a frame carried by two pairs of parallel links, the links of each pair being arranged one above the other and said links being pivoted on the opposite side walls of the compartment so that the frame will swing down level from an upper horizontal extended position to a low retracted horizontal position in said compartment, a typewriter platform having rollers continuously engaging said rails for forward and backward movement thereon when the rails are in low retracted position, and means for securing said rails in a low retracted position and for releasing them by forward movement of said platform.

2. For a desk having an open-front typewriter compartment: a pair 0f upwardly extending standards adapted to be secured to the opposite walls of said compartment, a pair of rails secured together in spaced relation by cross rods and linked to said standards by parallel pairs of parallel pitmans, the pitmans in each pair being arranged one above the other so that the rails may be moved level from an upper horizontal extended position to low retracted position in said compartment, a typewriter platform antifrictionally mounted on said rails for limited forward and rearward travel, a latch between one of said pitmans and said platform for holding said platform in its foremost position on the rails when in upper extended position, and a releasable spring catch on one of said standards for engaging one 4 of said cross rods and holding the rails in low retracted position.

3. For a desk having an open-front compartment: a pair of upwardly extending standards adapted to be secured to the opposite walls of said compartment, a pair of vertically disposed side plates connected together in spaced relation by cross rods and secured to a pair of rearwardly extending rails, a pair of upper pitmans, parallel to each other, linking the upper front portion of said plates to said standards, a parallel pair of lower pitmans, which are also parallel to each other, linking the lower central portions of the plates to the standards, said pitmans providing means whereby the rails may be swung level from an upper horizontal position to a lower horizontal position in said compartment, a platform slidably mounted on said rails, a latch on one of said side plates to hold said platform releasably in extended position on the rails, means for automatically releasing said latch when the rails are swung to the lower position, and a manually operable hook catch pivotally mounted on said platform so as to engage a stud on the desk when the platform is in upper extended position, said catch having an inner cam-like surface to grip` the stud and draw said platform and desk together rigidly.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 3, including latching means on the lower ends of the standards to grip a cross rod of the side plates when the rails are in lower position, and means on the platform for disengaging said latchng means when said platform is drawn to its foremost position on the rails.

5. In a desk having an open front compartment: a pair of rails secured together at their rear ends by a cross bar and carried by two pairs of parallel links, the links of each pair being arranged one above the other and pivoted to one of the oppositeside walls of the compartment and pivotally connected to the rails so that said rails may be swung as a unit from an upper horizontal extended position down to a low retracted position in said compartment, spring means for urging the rails upwardly, latching means for engaging and releasably holding said rail unit in a low retracted position, a platform having rollers engaging said rails to facilitate movement thereon when the rails are in a low retracted position,

and means for automatically releasing said latching means when the platform is moved to its outermost position on the rails.

,6. For a desk having an open front compartment: a pair of upwardly extending standards adapted to be secured to the opposite inside walls of the compartment, a pair of rails secured together by cross rods and pivotally linked to said standards by two pairs of parallel pitmans, the pitmans of each pair being arranged one above the other and connected to said rails so that the rails may be swung from an upper horizontal extended position to a low horizontal retracted position in the compartment, a platform anti-frictionally moiuited on said rails for limited forward and rearward travel, a latch pivotally connected to the rails to releasably engage said platform in its foremost position on said rails when in an upper extended position, spring latching means on one of said standards for engaging one of said cross rods and holding the rails in low retracted position, and means on the platform for auto-.

matically. releasing said latching means when said platform is drawn to its foremost position on said rails'.

'7. In a desk having an open front compartment: a pair of rails secured together at their rear ends by a cross bar and pivotally linked to the opposite side walls of the compartment by a pair of upper pitmans anda pair of lower parallel pitmans so that the rails may be swung from an upper horizontal extended position to a low retracted position in said compartment, said upper pitmans having arms extending rearwardly from their pivotal connection with the Walls of the compartment, and tension springs connected to the free ends of said arms and to the lower pitmans at points between their pivots so as to urge the rails to an upper position, a platform mounted on said rails for limited forward and rearward travel, and releasable spring latching means comprising elements pivoted to opposite Walls of the compartment for holding the rails in low retracted position.

MARTIN FOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

